


carved in a stone

by winterbitch (WinterLadyy)



Series: Gargoyle AU [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Fluff, Gargoyle Shiro, Human Keith (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Trans Keith (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-07
Updated: 2018-09-07
Packaged: 2019-07-08 04:23:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15922787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterLadyy/pseuds/winterbitch
Summary: Shiro had been frozen as a stone gargoyle for centuries. It was lonely but otherwise, not that bad.One day, a boy sits next to him and begins to talk. It's hard not to fall in love





	carved in a stone

**Author's Note:**

  * For [xLionheart](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xLionheart/gifts).
  * Inspired by [GargoylesAU](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/415829) by Velowsa. 



The first time Shiro meets the boy, it's the middle of the night. The air around him is cold, he can tell as much because of how people are clothed, so it's a surprise when the small human plops down next to Shiro in only a hoodie.

He has to admit, that it's a very...interesting hoodie. Back when Shiro was alive they didn't have things like this, but he likes to watch, and he learned a thing or two. The human is wearing a black hoodie with the hood pulled up, making the lion ears stand up. Now, Shiro knows that lions aren't red, but for some reason, the colour really suits the boy. Shiro misses colour in his life. 

They stay silent, Shiro because he can't do anything else, and the boy because he's clearly thinking. He's a pretty thing, delicate neck and pale skin, his eyes startling even in the faint light and with black hair falling into it. Something I'm him makes Shiro want to…protect him. Protecting is his purpose but never before he felt like that about a person he just met. Or saw.

Finally, the boy glances at him, an old, dragon-like gargoyle hunched on the window ledge of an old building. He's a bit bigger than the others, and humans like to take pictures of him, but no one before sat with him like that. It's nice, being recognized. It's been a long time since anyone did that to Shiro.

“I don't know why I'm really here,” the boy whispers. His voice is shy and quiet and yet warm somehow.

Shiro wants to listen to that voice forever.

“I guess I'm…I'm lonely. And here I am, talking to the stone,” he adds bitterly, but Shiro doesn't take offence. “I'm K-Keith. I'm Keith.”

There is something strange in the way the boy says his name like he's not used to it, but Shiro likes it nonetheless. Keith. His new friend is Keith the human. He wants to introduce himself as well, but it's impossible.

“It seems kind of lonely here, even for a protector of the city,” Keith notices. “I'm sorry you're here like this. I can keep you company now since no one else wants to hang out with a freak…”

Keith's voice breaks at the last word and it makes Shiro want to growl. This boy is not a freak and anyone who called him that before deserves to be shred to pieces. This boy is beautiful and speaks to Shiro in a quiet voice and he knows that the gargoyle is lonely. Keith has a beautiful heart that shows in his eyes. They have too much pain in them.

“I never wanted this, you know, to be born like this. I don't deserve all of this, to be forced to fight every step of the way, to be myself. I'm tired.”

The admission is quiet and when Shiro glances at the boy, he's looking down at his hands. He looks defeated and sad and yet Shiro knows he's strong enough. Wherever he's facing, he can do it, since he did it for so long already.

For the next 3 hours, Keith stays silent but Shiro doesn't mind. He wants to learn more about the human, but this is also nice. Comforting. So comforting in fact, that when Keith leaves, Shiro feels cold even though he technically can't.

The cold doesn't leave until the next night when Keith comes again. Shiro would smile if he could, but for the time being, he just listens as the boy pours his heart out to him. About his absent mother and recently dead father, about being born the wrong way, about his painful journey to becoming who he is now, about the bullies and people who hate him.

All of that makes Shiro want to leave his post and find them, to teach them a lesson. Keith is a beautiful human being with a pure heart and tormented eyes and no one should ever lay a hand on him. Ever. As it is, Shiro stays next to Keith, a silent companion, and somewhere along the way falls in love with the human.

It's not exactly falling, more like walking down the line. It's slow and comforting and familiar and when Shiro realizes, he just sighs internally. It's impossible not to fall in love with Keith, with his dirty sneakers and torn jeans and the cute hoodie. Especially when the human starts to lean against him with a blanket and spend even more time up with Shiro.

He talks about his bruises and Shiro wants to kiss them all, soothe the pain. He wants to wrap his wings around Keith's slim body and protect him from anyone and everyone. It's painful and it grips his stone heart and doesn't let go, because Shiro found a new thing to protect, besides the city. Keith Kogane.

One night, near the full moon, Keith suddenly stops talking and looks straight at Shiro. The gargoyle freezes, even more than he usually does and just waits as something forms in Keith's mind.

“I may be going crazy but… I swear I saw you move a couple of times,” the boy whispers in disbelief. “Maybe I just desperately want you to be alive, but fuck, I swear! You move sometimes, just a bit and I couldn't have imagined it! You move…”

Keith falls silent again, his eyes slipping closed as he leans even more against Shiro's cold, hard body. It takes Shiro a while to realize that the boy is crying silently, and when the tears touch his stone skin, he feels the _warmth._ It startles him so badly that his wings actually twitch _,_ something that hasn't happened in centuries.

For a second, Shiro's sure that it's not real, but then the warmth spreads into his limbs, one by one, until he can feel his heart starting to beat again, the blood flowing through his veins. Keith is sobbing against him, and it's heartwrenching, so Shiro instinctively reaches out a hand to touch his hair and soothe him. It's stupid because he tried that before, only…

This time it works.

Shiro's not sure which one of them is startled more when his big, already warmer hand touches Keith's hair. The boy jumps and leans away, purple eyes wide and not quite scared, just awed.

“Y-you… What?”

It's a mere whisper but it seems louder than any other word Keith said before. It goes straight to Shiro's heart and he can't help but smile. The movement of his again human face feels strange, but it also makes Keith smile.

“Hello, Keith. I'm Shiro,” he says quietly like he wanted all those months ago and Keith's smile widens.

“Fuck. I should be freaked out, u should be running away and panicking but… I'm… Hi Shiro.”

To say that Shiro's stunned would be an understatement. He knew that Keith was a lovely, understanding human but surely seeing the stone gargoyle suddenly come to life in a more human form should affect Keith more?

As if sensing his thoughts, Keith smiles shakily up at him.

“I'll have my freak out later, I promise,” he assures Shiro smiling. “But I'm… I'm amazed really. You were my closest friend for those months, as pathetic as it is. “

“You're not pathetic,” Shiro interrupts then because he was dying to do that for months. “You're an amazing, strong, loving man who doesn't deserve all the bad that's happened to him. I'm honoured to be your friend.

Even if Shiro wants more, he can wait. For now, his heart is singing and jumping because Keith actually wants to stay in contact with him, doesn't run from him. No, Keith actually wraps his arms around  Shiro's waist and snuggles closer, apparently not caring about the coolness of his skin.

Shiro sighs quietly and finally wraps his own arms and then wings around the small human, hunching his big body to wrap around Keith. There, now he can protect and care for the human, just as he wanted for so long.

All in all, nothing changes and yet everything does. Shiro's still not sure how come he's alive again, well, mobile actually, but he doesn't look too much into it since he can now talk and protect Keith. He pets his bruises and kisses off his tears and gathers the boy on his lap when he's feeling particularly dysmorphic.

It's easier and harder at the same time but Shiro's eternally grateful. Especially as Keith's smiles grow brighter and more frequent and he seeks out Shiro's touch more and more often, until they spent their nights curled together, a blanket wrapped around Keith under Shiro's wings.

They talk, this time Shiro sharing his stories as well, allowing Keith to trace his horns and claws, tail wrapped around Keith's waist, wings out for inspection. Each touch feels reverent, like Keith's in awe and it's always gentle and curious and affectionate. Shiro soaks it all up like a sponge, especially when Keith nestles himself on Shiro's lap and they watch movies together, on Keith's laptop.

It's domestic, in a way it has no right to be when they're sitting on the roof (having moved when Shiro came back to life), right under the stars. Slowly, it becomes a routine, something they both take comfort in and Shiro starts to nestle his face in Keith's neck, nuzzle against him.

It always makes the human smile, that pretty sound that echoes in the old walls around them and Shiro's happy. He's actually happy, for the first time in centuries.

For a while, Shiro thinks that there's nothing that could make him happier, but then one evening Keith comes to him smelling like stress and looking rather nervous. Shiro wants to ask, but then the boy plops down on his lap and swallows heavily.

“Okay so, I've been thinking about it for weeks, and f-fuck, I always chicken out in the last second but you've been my everything for a long time, a-and you're so beautiful and magical and I-I just…” Keith rambles before falling silent, eyes squeezed shut. “Fuck it. Just, don't hate me later.”

Shiro doesn't have time to ask why would he ever hate Keith because the boy grabs his face in his warm hands and kisses him, messy and shy and unpracticed but everything Shiro ever wanted. He's so shocked that for a while the gargoyle doesn't react, wings spread in surprise and tail suddenly slack, but then Keith makes a small sound against his mouth and Shiro surges back to life.

His big, clawed hands settle on Keith's jaw and neck, cradling his head close, while his tail curls around his waist, solid and strong, pulling him even more into Shiro's body. Without his knowledge, the big wings close around them, shutting out the outside world until its just them, Keith's unsteady breathing and warm lips against his.

When the kiss starts to gain momentum, Shiro takes control gently, angling Keith's face and deepening the kiss. Their tongues tangle easily, even as the boy fumbles a bit, inexperienced. It's endearing, really, and Shiro just hums into his mouth and kisses him some more.

Slowly, Keith's hands slide up, to his hair and then even more to his horns. They never were particularly sensitive but when Keith grabs them, Shiro lets out a hiss and pulls him even closer. The boy lets out a small chuckle, so Shiro nips at his bottom lip, sharp teeth leaning small cuts. It makes the boy buck against him, yet Shiro doesn't go further.

They have time for that, so much time. For now, he just wants to enjoy his warmth and sweet mouth.

Finally, Keith pulls away and looks at him with wide, surprised and awed eyes. Shiro only smiles gently and kisses him again.

“I wanted to do that for a long, long time, Keith. But I'd wait for you forever.”

Keith lets out a small squeal and blushes prettily, though he's pouting.

“You should've said something earlier!”

Shiro only laughs and pets his hair.

“I don't know, I think everything worked out quite well, don't you?”

Keith doesn't grace that with a response only kisses him again. Shiro is fine with that.

**Author's Note:**

> let me know if you enjoyed it! i loved writing it and there will be more to this series if you'd like.


End file.
